Related Federal Cases
- ‘White Boi’ Nabbed in $10M Treasury Check Scam · Mississippi
- $4 Million Telemarketing Scam Nets Prison Terms for Two · North Carolina
- Western Union Scam · Washington
- California Man Guilty in $6.5M Prescription Drug Scam · Minnesota
- $7 Million Tax Refund Scam Lands Two Miami Residents in Prison · Minnesota
Florida Owner Sentenced for $6M Medicare Scam
A 44-year-old woman from Hialeah, Florida, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for her role in a health care fraud scheme involving a Miami home health care agency.
Annarella Garcia, co-owner of Professional Medical Home Health LLC, was ordered to pay $6.2 million in restitution for her participation in the scheme, which involved billing Medicare for expensive physical therapy and home health care services that were not medically necessary or not provided.
According to court documents, Garcia and others engaged in the scheme between December 2008 and February 2014, during which time Professional Medical Home Health was paid approximately $6.25 million by Medicare for the fraudulent claims.
Garcia and her co-conspirators paid kickbacks and bribes to patient recruiters in return for providing patients to the agency for services that were not medically necessary or not provided.
They also falsified patient documentation to make it appear that beneficiaries qualified for and received home health care services, when in fact, many of the beneficiaries did not qualify for such services and did not receive them.
Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud on June 25, 2014.
The case was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
This case is a result of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which has charged nearly 1,900 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $6 billion since its inception in March 2007.
To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), visit www.stopmedicarefraud.gov
RELATED: Blake Underwood Sentenced
RELATED: Minnesota Accountant Gambles Away $2.7M, Gets 51 Months
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News